Lucky Number Seven
by Mr. Thumbsup
Summary: As Jean Havoc approaches his seventh girlfriend, he ponders on luck. Sevendrabble story, Havoc x Sheska. Complete.
1. First Meeting

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. That's why it's called Fan fiction.**

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**Lucky Number Seven**

Keeping a girlfriend or cigarettes.

I never really know which is more important to me.

I lean back in my chair with my feet up and stare at the picture on my desk. It shows me with my latest ex, Rebecca. I just recently found out that good old Mustang stole another one from me. This makes Rebecca the third out of my six-odd girlfriends that have left me for Mustang. Lucky her.

I kick the picture into my trashcan with a _smash._ I sigh, and as I take another drag of my cigarette, I wonder, as I often do, if this is what makes my luck with women so bad. I know cigarettes are bad for you, but I'm addicted. But maybe I'm wrong. Catherine Armstrong dumped me when I hadn't had one in hours.

Then my cigarette does its usual and I cough up a load of the brown stuff. What I really find amazing is that my past experiences with my girlfriends have gotten me into that habit of at least not smoking in my own home.

Then I suck it again.

There's that familiar burning patch at the back of my throat as I exhale a smoke ring. Why did I ever start doing this? Don't ask yourself that, you know. New kid at High School, just wanting to fit in. Classic smoker setup.

What I find especially ironic is the fact that, every time I meet my new girlfriend, I happen to not have a cigarette on me. Maybe that's why they start going out with me as they haven't seen that I smoke yet.

Grace didn't mind my smoking. She ran that flower shop a few blocks over. Hell, we'd probably still be together if not for Mustang.

As I stub out the butt in my ashtray, I realize that I've had six girlfriends so far. Seven is supposed to be a lucky number. Heh, maybe I'll keep the next one.

I reach for my pocket, only to find a slightly crumpled box. Out of cigarettes. Sighing again, I stand up, rooting through my pocket for my wallet. I hate having to buy cigarettes from the HQ store, but what are you gonna do?

I scratch my head as I walk down the hallway. Hopefully, I might keep the lucky seventh girl. Maybe I should ask lieutenant Hawkeye out, she doesn't mind my cig-

_Wham!_

I hit a person coming out of the archives. Books fall across the floor. I scramble to help pick up the books. "I'm so sorry! Sorry!"

"I- It's alright…" a female voice apologizes.

"Very sorry about this, Miss…?"

As I reach for the last book, our hands meet. Instinctively I look up into the face of a pretty, mousy young woman with glasses.

She blushes slightly. "Sorry. My name's Sheska."

**---**

**There you go, Folks! I always thought that Havoc and Sheska would make a good couple.**


	2. First Date

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. **

**Sorry for the **_**very**_** delayed update. It's just that I wanted to finish one of my other fics, then school started, then the writers block…**

**In this fic, I'm gonna have narrators switch each chapter. First chapter is Havoc, this chapter is Sheska. Read on!**

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_Sheska's POV _

Books or finding a boyfriend.

I still don't know which is more important to me.

Maybe that's why I agreed when Jean Havoc asked me out on a date after we literally ran into each other. Maybe it's because I want to know which is more important. Or maybe it's pity. Everyone at HQ knows the poor guy can't keep a girlfriend. They've actually got a betting pool as to how many girlfriends he'll wind up losing.

Either way, I'm going out with him. Something about the guy intrigues me on the same level as books.

I had to hurry to get ready, after getting caught up reading and losing track of the time. Luckily for me, there was still enough time for me to be out in front of my house when he picked me up.

The drive to the restaurant is more or less quiet. I notice that he is twitching slightly every now and then. I can tell he's a smoker. I know the signs, my last boyfriend was too.

Even after our food is ordered, he keeps twitching. I can tell he's trying to be polite and hide it, but he's not doing a very good job.

"It's okay, Jean, I don't mind."

Jean almost falls off his chair. "Whuh- how'd you know??"

I smile. "My last boyfriend did too. He twitched just like that."

After that, he seemed a bit easier. Our dinner went great, and I had a good night. Jean was quite a gentleman; he held the door for me, and escorted me to the door we I got home.

"Well, Jean, I had fun tonight."

He smiled. "I did too. Would you like to go out again?"

I smile back. "That sounds nice. How about next Friday?"

"That sounds good."

**---**

**Folks, I'm going to be updating this whenever I can. Until then, Ciao!**


	3. The Idea

**Disclaimer, Bitch: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. **

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Wow.

I… wow.

I can't think of any other words to describe last night.

Wow.

Sheska just seemed… different. I'm not sure why. She just seemed different from Grace, or Rebecca, or Catherine Armstrong, or all the rest.

And here I am, at my desk with my feet propped up again, trying to decide if I should ask her out again.

As I pull out another- you guessed it- another cigarette, I'm suddenly over come by a desire to laugh. I met Sheska because of my cigarettes. If I hadn't run out of cigarettes, I wouldn't have left this office to buy more, and wouldn't have run into Sheska.

God, what's wrong with me?

I quickly stub out the cigarette. God, I'm an idiot. I happen to find one good thing that cigarettes have done for me, and my mind decides to keep smoking. Idiot.

Every time I've tried quitting, I can't. I just don't know how I'm going to find a way to…

Lightbulb.

Sheska's a bookworm. And, while I've never seen it myself, I've heard that she has piles and piles of books at her house. She's bound to have a book that helps quit smoking _somewhere_ in there!

I can't grab the phone fast enough. I dial her number.

"Hey, Sheska? It's Jean. Hi. Are we still on for Friday? Oh good. Listen, there's something I want to ask you…"

**----------**

**Sorry for the so damn long update, folks. I'm planning on having Sheska help Jean quit smoking! I'm open to ideas, folks, any at all!**


	4. Help

**Disclaimer, Bitch: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. **

**Sigh. This story is going down the tubes, isn't it? Also, I'd like to thank Crystal Inferno for an idea in this chapter.**

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**Fwip. Fwip. Fwip.**

I really didn't see this coming. Jean called me up and asked me to help him quit smoking! I've gone through my huge pile and found several books on quitting, and Jean's on the way now.

**Knock Knock Knock.**

That'll be him. I run over to the door and swing it open. "Hey."

"Hey, Sheska."

He enters my house, brushing up against me. Huh, what was that? My stomach just felt weird. I'll have to look at a medical book later.

"So, what's the plan then?"

"I've gone through my books, and I've chosen the four best-looking cures. Our date's in five days, so we're starting today. I'm gonna make you quit smoking in four days.

**----------**

**Day One**

**Aversion Training**

I sit at one end of the table, Jean at the other. I have an Encyclopedia in my hand, and a cigarette on the table between us.

Jean stares at the cigarette. Thirty seconds pass.

"I want to smoke that cigarette."

**WHAM!** I hit him in the head with my Encyclopedia. His head falls to the table.

"Sheska, it's working! I'm losing my addiction! I'm losing my desire to smoke! I'm losing consciousness…"

**----------**

**Day Two**

**The Patch**

I have my head buried in a book. "It says here that the Nicotine patch is one of the most effective ways of quitting."

I look up. Jean has several patches plastered across his face, arms, and torso.

"Ahh, no."

**----------**

**Day Three**

**Substitution**

"I read somewhere that having something else in your mouth helps satisfy the need for a cigarette."

A cherry sucker with a burnt end sits smoldering on the table. Jean has a baby carrot sticking out of his mouth and a lighter under it. "How do you get these things to light?!"

**----------**

**Day Four**

**Last-Ditch Efforts**

"AAAAAAARRRRGH!"

Last day and here I am, running circles around my house, ripping my hair out. "I can't do it! I'm useless! Useless!"

I can hear Jean trying to calm me down, but I can't. I can't even accomplish something in four days!

After a while, I sit down and start whacking myself in the face with a book.

Jean sure has gotten quiet. He's probably kicking himself as to why he chose to go out with me. I look over to him.

My eyes go wide. He's started reading one of my books. He seems to be completely engrossed in it.

I get an idea. "Jean, how long has it been since you had a cigarette?"

Without looking up, he says "Several Hours."

"Do you want a cigarette?"

"No thanks. I'm good."

Well I'll be. Reading made Jean forget about smoking. I grab another medical book and starting ripping through it. There's no way reading could make this happen.

The book says nothing about reading.

I shred the book immediately.


	5. Christmas

**Disclaimer, Bitch: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. **

**Y'know folks, I just noticed that I crank out a chapter of this fic around the same time every month. Again, I'm so sorry it takes so long.**

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It's been a month since I started dating Sheska. Ever since she helped me get off cigarettes, I've been riding on cloud nine.

We've gone out five, six times since then. Without the urge for cigarettes, my life's been going great. I've been able to work out more, I can breathe deeper, I've actually had some women ask _me_ out! I broke their hearts.

It's getting around Christmas now, and Sheska and I have a date planned for Christmas Eve, the most popular date night of the year.

And now here I am, standing outside this shop window, staring at the thing I'm going to get her.

_----------_

_Later that Night_

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Sheska sighs happily, her head on my shoulder, my arm around her waist. We've had a great evening together, we went out to dinner, and now here we are, walking through the park. The moon reflects off of the snow around us, making a beautiful scene.

We stop in front of the, now-frozen, pond. Sheska sighs again. She smiles up at my face. "Merry Christmas, Jean."

I return the smile and plant a kiss on her lips. "You too."

She fishes into the pocket of her winter coat. She pulls out a long, thin package, wrapped in holiday paper. She holds it out to me. "Here."

I take it from her and tear off the wrapping.

Hey, guess what? It's a book. It's _The Lord of the Rings,_ by J.R.R. Tolkien. I smile as I remember my father reading me that book when I was a kid. I smile at Sheska again. "Thanks."

I pull out my present and hand it to her. Sheska gasps as she pulls out the diamond necklace I bought at the Jewelry Store. "Jean… it's beautiful…"

I grin. "Here." I take the necklace from her and circle around behind her. Slipping it around her neck, I fasten it. She looks gorgeous with it on.

She smiles and wraps her arms around me. I hug her back.

She stiffens suddenly. "What was that?"

I frown. "What was what?"

She points off into the grove of trees. "Over there. There's something in the trees."

Breaking off the hug, I head over to the trees to check it out. "There's nothi-"

WHAM! Something firm hits the back of my head, and cold snow runs down my back.

Sheska is holding another snowball, and laughing wildly. Grinning, I grab a bunch of snow and hurl it back.

We stayed like that for a while, laughing and hurling snow like a couple of children.

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**Have a Happy Christmas, Folks!**


	6. Dinner

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. **

**Y'know, there's only one chapter to go on this train wreck of a story. I'm sorry I've taken so long to update these things.**

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I slam the taxi door shut behind me and start running.

Jean's invited me over to dinner at his house tonight. It's pouring down rain, and he would have come and gotten me, but he had to make the dinner. So I had to grab a taxi.

I wipe my glasses off on my shirt once I get under the awning that covers his door, I knock twice.

I never knew that Jean was such a great cook. I actually expected- Don't Tell Him!- that since he was soldier, he wouldn't really have had time to learn how to cook.

The man is amazing.

Which is why I'm sitting here right now, eating the best chicken parmesan I've ever had. I kid you not.

The man. Should be. A Chef.

I eventually manage to stop eating long enough to talk to him. "Jean, this is great. Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

Jean smiles devilishly. "Well Sheska, it's a funny story. It all started when I was seventeen. I-"

To tell you the truth, he still haven't finished that story. There was a loud **CRACK** of lightning off in the distance. The power finally went out. We were plunged into instant darkness.

"Sheska! Are you alright!"

"Yes, Jean, I'm fine."

"Darn storm. Hang on a sec, Sheska. I think I've got some candles in the hall closet."

"I help you, Jean."

"You don't have to, Sheska. It's dark, you might miss the closet and fall right down the basement stairs."

It was a good thing it was dark. Jean would've seen me blush redder than the chicken parmesan sauce. We was worried about me! He's such a great guy!

"It's okay, Jean. You've got about as much likelihood as falling down those stairs as I do."

Putting on a vampiric accent, he said "Then come, let me lead you down Jean Havoc's Dark Hall of Death. Beware, for these be the last friendly word's you'll hear."

"Har Har, Jean."

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Later, we sat together in front of the fireplace. As the storm raged on outside, a warm fire burned in the hearth.

I'm not really sure when Jean's hand snaked into mine. I really didn't mind though. Between that and the fire, it was quite comfortable.

I checked my watch. "It's getting late."

"I know."

"About the time I said I'd leave isn't it?"

"Yeah."

There was a long silence.

"Do you have to?"

We locked gazes. "Do you have to go?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't."

Jean took me into his arms. I settled into his lap.

As we sat there in front of the fire, we didn't say a word. We didn't have to.


	7. Seven Years Later

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. **

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_**Seven Years Later…**_

The morning sunlight shone in through the windows, illuminating the lightly sleeping pair in the bed. The sheets slowly rise and fall in rhythm of their breathing. Shall we take a closer look? Okay, but we must be quiet. We wouldn't want to wake them.

There, it's a bit easier to see them now, isn't it? One who had seen them seven years ago would instantly notice one difference:

Both are wearing wedding bands.

Ever since Lieutenant- or, as he's known these days, Colonel- Jean Havoc stopped smoking, he's been able to bulk up a bit. He's got some decent-sized muscles now, and is quite a good fighter. He's currently at what Sheska has dubbed his 'Boxing Weight'.

Speaking of Sheska Havoc, she's asleep on the right side of the bed right now. Her glasses are on her bedside table, next to the photo of her and Jean on their wedding day. Winry Rockbell served as the Bridesmaid, and Roy Mustang was surprisingly kind enough to be best man. Not that he's able to do much of that anymore, as he's too busy running the country.

On a separate note, Roy is still trying to get the Presidential Council to pass the amendment making all female officers wear miniskirts. General Hawkeye makes it a point to give him a whack over the head whenever he mentions it now.

Back in the Havoc bedroom, the door silently swings open. A small form tiptoes across the carpet without bothering to close the door. It stops in front of Sheska's sleeping form.

Poke.

"Mommy, wake up."

Poke. Poke.

"Mommy, wake up! It's Saturday!"

Sheska opens up one sleepy eye to grope on the bedside table for her glasses. She slips them on so she can get a better look at her daughter. She smiles warmly. "Hey, kiddo."

Beatrice Havoc inherited her fathers blond hair, but also got her mother's bad eyesight. At five years old, some of the kids in her class tease her about her glasses.

"Mommy, it's Saturday! It's time to get up!"

Laughing softly, Sheska stands up as her little girl leads her out the door. "Beatrice, answer your mother something: Why did I tell you last night that we'd be having pancakes for breakfast when I know you love pancakes so much?"

Beatrice looks at her mother with cute puppy-dog eyes. "Because I'm your daughter, and you love me and want to shower me with love and affection?"

Laughing again, Sheska picks up her daughter and gives her a hug. "You know me too well, kiddo."

"I know."

Later, as Sheska pours the batter into the pan, she hears footsteps behind her. A pair of strong arms wrap around her from behind. "Morning."

She closes her eyes and cuddles into her husband's embrace. "Morning yourself."

Jean cranes his neck over his wife's shoulder. "Are those pancakes?"

Sheska smiles. "No, Beatrice decided to have me make some of her mud pies this morning."

Jean smiles back. "Well, you know how much I love her cooking."

Sheska's laugh is cut off by Jean's quick kiss. The two stood there in the middle of the kitchen, just enjoying each other's embrace.

At least until the burning pancakes set off the fire alarm.

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**Well folks, that's it! I hope this was an adequate finale. I'd like to thank all of you for sticking with me through this seven-month train wreck, and those who convinced me to continue this pas the original oneshot. Thank you all, Good Night, have a pleasant tomorrow, and God Bless America.**


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